Support for telephone-receivers



" 4 5 FIGIL /8 l0 C. M. CLARKE.

SUPPORT FORTE LEPHONE RECEIVERS. APPLICATION FILED AUG.I3, 1918.

1,391,370, PatenfedSept.2 O,1921.

FIGJ- FIE-L2.

WITNESSES 35 ing of the circuit, or else, as frequently hap- UNITED STATESPATVENT OFFICE.

cnlumns M. CLARKE, orsEwIcxLnY, PENNSYLVANIA.

SUPPORT FOR TELEPHONE-RECEIVERS.

To all whom it may concern: 7 I

Beit known that 1, CHARLES M. CLARKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sewickley, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Supports for Telephone-Receivers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of an improvement in telephones and hasfor its object to provide means'whereby the receiver of the instrument may be removed from the usual supporting fork or bracket, and then replaced in registering position therewith so as to remain inoperative for a predetermined period, and to then assume its normal pendant position, in order to obviate the necessity of waiting to replace the receiver in the'fork after thecall hasbeen' answered over another instrument. 1 v y "It frequently. happens, in theuse of telephones, where one ormore branch lines are incircuit, that a call is received over] the line through one of several instruments by alparty who then finds it necessary to call another part to answer the call through another oft/he instruments, as-forinstance, in a'branch office, or at a. difierent flooror locat on 1n aresldence or other building.

Wherever delay occurs, as is frequently the case, it is either necessary for the party who first answers the call. to remain at the instrument and then replace the receiver thereon after the other party has commenced conversation, in order to prevent the clospens, the receiveris set downon a table or elsewhere and may not, through inadvertence, bereplaced for some considerable time thereafter. Thisresultsin leaving the entire system disarranged because of the open circuit, and results in the failure of the instrument to receive further calls until the receiver is replaced and the supporting fork is depressed.

The'invention consists in means for tempo'rarily supporting the receiver in such a position as to allow it, wheneventually lowered, after a desired postponement, to effect downward. pressure on the supporting fork, finally reaching its ultimate normal pendant position and restabl-ishing the call circuit. I y 7 In the drawings, which show one preferred embodiment of the invention,

Figure 1 is a View in elevation, partlyin Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 20, 1 921. Application filed August 13, 1918. Serial No. 249,735.

section, showin the device in inoperative posltion, witht e1 receiver in pendant posit1on on the fork; V

F 1g. 2 is a similar view showing the device when raised to support the receiver and with pressure relieved from the fork; v i

I F g. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 1; and

F 1g. 4 is a partial sectional View showing a modified construction. r V

In the drawings, 2 represents the main stem or body of the instrument having at .its-

upper portion the'usual transmitter 3 and provlded withthe receiver-supporting and current-controlling fork 4, of well known construction. The receiver 5, which normally hangs pendantly in the fork, isadapted to be temporarily supported with its shouldered terminal fork-engaging portion 5*- 1n register with, but not resting on the fork, by a suitable supporting device, as a pan or bracket 6.

' Such bracket, as shown, is designed to re ceive the projecting ear terminal of the recelver within a surrounding upwardly. turnededge portion for greatersecurity, and to insure. alinement of the receiver with the fork, although the retaining edge of the bracket is not absolutely necessary.

. Bracket 6 is designed when inoperative, to remain in a lowered position out of contact with the receiver, as indicated inFig. 1, and

to be thrust'upwardly when used, to support v V the receiver sufficiently high that its other end 1s malntained' away from gravitating contact with the fork for a limited period of time, as indicated in Fig. 2. Bracket 6 suitable means as a strap 8 to the vertical stem, of the instrument. 2, and containing the plunger 9. Said plunger is secured to the inner end of a stem 10 which extends downwardly through the bottom head 11 of the cylinder, and preferablythrough a stuffing box having a tightening and loosening I have rovided, n the v itself, effectively cutting off the outletrof.

gland 12. Bottom head 11 is provided with one or more air circulation ports 13 and a valve 14 which may be of thin rubber or other suitable material, with an air circulation opening 15 around stem 10. The stem extends downwardly through such stuffing box and ma be off-set, as indicated, for clearance an is secured to the bracket 6 by nuts or otherwise, as indiacted at 16.

Plunger 9 is so constructed, as my means of a s'uitable packing ring,as to make a practically air-tight fit within the holding cylinder 7 and a spring 17' is preferably interposed between the top of the plunger and the top head 18 of the cylinder. Bracket 6 may be thrust out of register with the receiver, in the manner indicated in Fig. 3, or it may be merely left in its registering position without interference'with the receiver.

In operation, bracket 6 is thrust upwardly b the hand, whereupon. the space within t e cylinder 7 will be filled with atmospheric air by suction, passing upwardly through the central opening in flexiblejvalve 14; When raised to its'uppermost limit, as in} dicated in Fig. 2, valve 14 will then re-seat air, except by the restricted flow through the stufiing box .or because of such slight leakagelas may be provided.

The receiver 5 may then be set upon bracket 6 with its upper end 5 projecting well above the bearing edges of receiving fork 4 an'dgradual escape of theairwithin the cylinder admits of gradual lowering of the plunger 9 either with or without spring 17, finally arriving at the bottom of the rcylindeijas in Fig. 1, and leaving thereceiver in supported position on the fork. The time of downward travel ofthe receiver may be easily graduated, for a longer or shorter period, as desired, by controllmg the outflow of air, as by tightening or loosening the gland 12, or in any other suitable manner. I

If preferred, the device may be so constructed as to thrust a support, operable as the equivalent of bracket 6,'upwardly 'underne'ath the shank portion of receiver arms 4, such pressure being gradually released in the same manner as above described, in

WlllCh case, the recelver may be merely reinserted inthe fork, which will thus be gradually lowered under the depressing weightof the receiver'with the: same resulting 'efi'ectp Such adaptation ofthe in- Vention may be easily effected by merely con tinuing the stem 10'upwardly of plunger 9 so that when 'raised, it will pass u wardly through an opening in cylinder I and into abutting contact with the lower side of fork 4, as indicated at 10*, Fig. 4.

, The main stem 10 extends downwardly throughthe bottom of cylinder 7, as in the ead 18 greater leverage of the receiver through the fork itself, inasmuch as the weight of the receiver is at once active upon the fork without the initial lost motion travel provided for in the first described construction.

The device may be variously changed or modified by the skilled mechanic in different details of construction or otherwise, but

all such changes are to be considered as within the scope of the following'claims. 'VVhat I claim is: Y I

1. In a telephone 'set, normally inopertive' manually adjustable means for temporarily suspending the normal gravitat-' 'ing action of the receiver fork and its sup:

ported receiver and for interposing a retard ing resistance thereto whereby to effect a delayed lowering movement of the fork and receiver consisting of a holder mounted; on the set and a movement retardingresistance device therein. V

' '2. In a telephone set, normally inoperative hand actuated mechanism for tempo;

rarily suspendin the normal gravitating action of the recelverfork and its supported receiver and for automatically effecting a retarded movement thereof to delay. the i downward, movement of the fork and: re-T ceiver conslstlng of a holder mounted on the' set and a movement retarding resistance device thereln. I 1 8. A device of the class descrlbed cons sting of a holder and a normally inoperative temporary supporting device 'therleln capable of being thrust upwardly by the operator. to. temporarily support and'resistgravitationof the receiver when in depressingposition in the fork and having means for causing the supporting deviee gradually recede and'withdraw resistance therefrom." 4. A resistance mechanism for telephone receivers having a portion adapted toresist thejwei'ght of they receiver and maintain it non-depressing relation to its supporting hook and. to gradually allow the receiver. to overcome such resistance and to depress :the hook. 1 I j 5. Means for temporarily; supporting "a telephone receiver. inoperative relation. to its f'supporting fork fand for lowering it thereinto, having a supporting-device and means for inter ance thereto.

Means f empo a y suppo ting. telephone receiver in operative relationfto,

posmg'fa decreasing resistits supporting fork and'for lowering itthereinto, having a sup orting devicead'apted to be thrust upwar 1y to supporting .position, and means for gradually loweringthe supporting device. i

7 A receding support for a telephone receiver having means adapted to maintain gradually diminishing supporting resistance thereto.

8. A receding support for a telephone receiver having means adapted to maintain the receiver in operative relation to its supporting forkand to temporarily oppose a gradually diminishing supporting resistance thereto and to finally lower the receiver and fork to normal endant position:

9. A receding support or opposing the weight of a telephone receiver and its fork when in supporting engagement consisting of a pneumatic cylinder having a plunger, a plunger stem having a terminal supporting portion adapted to oppose downward movement of the receiver and fork, and

means providing for free inflow and restricted outflow of air to and from the cylinder.

10. A receding support for opposing the weight of a telephone receiver and its fork when in supporting engagement consisting of a pneumatic cylinder having a plunger, a plunger stem having a terminal supporting portion adapted to oppose downward movement of the receiver and fork, a valve providing for free inflow of air to the cylinder and adapted to close against outflow of air therefrom, and means for graduating the exhaust of air to eflect gradual lowering of the plunger. A

11. A weight resisting device for a telephone receiver and its fork when in supporting engagement consisting of a pneumatic cylinder having a plunger adapted to be thrust upwardly, an air inlet and outlet controlling valve for the cylinder, means for graduatingoutflow of air, and a stem connected with the plunger having a portion adapted to oppose gravitating action of the telephone receiver.

12. A weight resisting device for a telephone receiver and its fork when depressed thereby consisting of a pneumatic cylinder having a plunger, an air inlet and outlet controlling valve, means for graduating outflow of air, and a stem connected with the plunger having a portion adapted to engage and support the receiver.

13. A weight resisting device for a telephone receiver and its fork when depressed thereby consisting of a neumatic cylinder having a plunger, an a1r inlet and outlet controlling valve, means for graduatingoutflow of air, and a stem connected with the plunger having a portion adapted to engage and support the receiver and to be thrust out of register therewith.

14Q A weight resisting device for a telephone receiver and its fork when in supporting engagement consisting of a pneumatic cylinder having a plunger, an air inlet and outlet controlllng valve, means for graduating outflow of air, a stem connected with the plunger having a portion adapted to engage and support the receiver and arranged to be thrust upwardly to raise the plunger, and a spring adapted to assist in depressing the plunger and its stem.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

CHARLES M. CLARKE.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,391,370, granted September 20, 1921, upon the application of Charles M. Clarke, of Sewickley, Pennsylvania, for an irnprove ment in Supports for Telephone-Receivers, errors appear in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 1, line 26, for the word "part read party; page line 10, for the Word my read by; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiice.

Signed andsealed this 20th day of October, A. D., 1921.

[SEAL] WM. A. KINNAN,

Acting Commissioner of Patents, 

